The Season 23 premiere of American Idol was all about the return of Carrie Underwood. The Season 4 champ officially took her seat on the judges’ panel next to Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, 20 years after she won the reality TV singing competition in 2005. The eight-time Grammy winner replaces Katy Perry, who left the series after seven seasons as a judge. This is the eighth cycle of American Idol on ABC following the show’s original 15-season run on Fox from 2002 to 2016.
The two-hour premiere aired Sunday, March 9 (8 p.m. ET/PT) and featured auditions from New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. As the show’s only constant since the series premiere in 2002, Ryan Seacrest returned as host.
“I feel like I’m going to audition, to be honest,” Carrie said as her car pulled up to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. “I just want to do a good job.” She called her own experience on Idol “the most immense stress I’ve ever been through” and added, “I know what they’re going through because I’ve been there. I’m really hoping I can use that to all of our advantage.”
Sure to be one of the night’s buzziest auditions was Baylee Littrell, the son of Backstreet Boys singer Brian Littrell. “I’ve always told everybody that he’s 10 times more talented than I ever was,” Baylee’s famous dad said in his intro package.
“I believe I get my voice from my dad and hopefully I can do him justice today,” Baylee shared. “I guess you could say music runs in our family. Dance moves are the one thing, genetically, that did not pass down. Following in my dad’s footsteps is scary because his career is one of the most extraordinary in music history. No one can ever compare. I remember being eight or nine years old and they sold out this huge arena. I got to open up for them. I just had my two little songs and when I came off stage the guys went on. The screams when the lights went down — I was just mesmerized. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. What is this?’ When you’re kid you’re not afraid, but when you start to get a little older, especially a teenager, you start to get timid.”
For his audition, Baylee performed an original song he wrote called “Waiting on Myself to Die.” Carrie called him “really good” and complimented the hopeful’s songwriting skills. “That’s a risk,” she said. “I think you could go very, very far in this competition.” Baylee was then joined by his dad for a brief duet before the judges sent him through to Hollywood.
The season’s very first audition was Kolbi Jordan, a 26-year-old from Tulsa, Okla. Following her powerful rendition of “Epiphany (I’m Leaving)” by Chrisette Michele, Lionel showed off his star power by calling up Kolbi’s ultimate idol, Patti LaBelle. After getting the stamp of approval from the legendary diva, Kolbi was off to Hollywood — but not before the judges put the powerhouse through one more test.
With just one day’s notice, Lionel, Carrie, and Luke booked Kolbi to sing at the Tennessee Titans vs. New England Patriots football game in front of 70,000 fans. What they didn’t tell her is that she was about to receive the season’s second Platinum Ticket, automatically sending her through the first round of Hollywood Week. The first Platinum Ticket this year was handed out to Filo during Carrie’s appearance on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve back in December. Kolbi is now considered a frontrunner for the Season 23 title after last year’s winner, Abi Carter, parlayed her Platinum Ticket into a crowning achievement on May 19, 2024.
Golden Tickets to Hollywood
The following hopefuls won over the judges this week and took home golden tickets to Hollywood:
Abi Bowen Age: 24 Hometown: Blountville, Tenn.
Audition: “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt
Che Age: 28 Hometown: Essex, England
Audition: “Mirror” by Madison Ryann Ward
Joey Ciccone Age: 27 Hometown: Utica, N.Y.
Audition: “Falling” by Harry Styles
Insite Age: 18 Hometown: Naples, Fla.
Audition: “Freak On a Leash” by Korn
Pat Johnson Age: 25 Hometown: Stratford, N.J.
Audition: “Need It” (original)
Kolbi Jordan (Upgraded to Platinum Ticket) Age: 26 Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.
Audition: “Epiphany (I’m Leaving)” by Chrisette Michele
Baylee Littrell Age: 21 Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga.
Audition: “Waiting on Myself to Die” (original)
Isaiah Misailegalu Age: 17 Hometown: Las Vegas
Audition: “A Song for You” by Donny Hathaway
Slater Nalley Age: 17 Hometown: Atlanta
Audition: “Traces of You” (original)
Breanna Nix Age: 25 Hometown: Denton, Texas
Audition: “Jesus, Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood
Lillie Zitlaly Rhoden Age: 20 Hometown: Meridian, Miss.
Audition: “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol
Gabby Samone Age: 22 Hometown: Baltimore
Audition: “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
Kam’Ron Smith Age: 21 Hometown: Rocky Mount, Va.
Audition: “Pickup Man” by Joe Diffie
Shane Dan Turner Age: 28 Hometown: Rockaway, N.Y.
Audition: Unknown
Ian Ward Age: 28 Hometown: San Diego
Audition: “I Want to Know What Love Is” by Foreigner
Crews Wright Age: 17 Hometown: Samson, Ala.
Audition: “The Fireman” by George Strait
The Season 23 auditions of American Idol continue Sunday, March 16 on ABC.
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